Automatic fire-sprinkler



(No Model.)

J. P. BYER-S'.

AUTOMATIC FIRE SPRINKLER. N0.-450,5'74. Patented Apr. 14, 1-891.

m: NORRIS FUERS 60., PHOTO-7M1, msumm'ou, n. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT QFFICE.

JOHN F. BYERS, or MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA.

AUTOMATIC FIRE-SPRINKLER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N0. 450,574, dated April 14, 1891.

Applicationfiled April 26, 1890- Serial No. 349,624. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be itknown that I, JOHN F. BYERS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Minneapolis, in the county of Hennepin and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Fire- Sprinklers, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to means for utilizing the expansive power of heat to operate devices for releasing a fluid to extinguish fires.

The object of the invention-is the production of an apparatus containing an expansible substance that upon being subjected to an unusual degree of heat will by its expansion unseat avalve and permit the discharge of a fluid. This object is accomplished by the devices illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of the apparatus. Fig. 2 is a top view of the same; Fig. 3, a vertical section on the line w a: of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a plan view of the valve detached; Fig. 5, a sectional view of the same on the line y y of Fig. &; and Fig. 6 shows a face view and a transverse section of the rubber packing used in the device.

In said drawings, 1 designates a suitable frame, which may be a single casting consisting of a base 2, from which extend two opposite posts 3, connected at the top by a bridge. The base has a central tapped opening to receive the upper threaded portion 4 of a coupling 5, the lower threaded portion (3 of which is designed to screw into the end of a water-pipe. On the upper end of the portion 4 of the coupling is seated a valve 7. In order to make a tight joint for the valve on its seat, it is preferably recessed, as shown in Fig. 5, and in the recess is provideda layer of soft metal 8, and exterior to that a thin flexible disk 9 of some non-corrosive metal. The valve is provided at opposite sides-with two lateral arms 10, which engage shoulders provided by lugs 11 at the front of one side of the frame and at the back of the other side. The valve being placed in position with its arms engaged by the lugs 11, the coupling 5 may be screwed up against it, so that the end of the coupling will indent the packing 8 and 9 and form a watertight joint.

At one side of the frame and opposite one of the lugs 11 is a projection 12, that is screwthreaded. Onto this is screwed the open end of a cylinder 13, containing the expansive substance, so that the projection will form one of the cylinder-heads. A piston 14 is fitted in a central opening in the head 12, and has one end protruding and abutting one of the arms 10 of the valve 7. The other end extends within the chamber of the cylinder 13 some distance into the expansive substance. Between the walls of the cylinder13 and the central opening for the piston the head 12 has formed upon it a ridge 15, and upon this is placed a rubber or other suitable elastic packing 16 to prevent the escape of the substance in the chamber when underhigh pressure. The substance 17 contained in the chamber of the cylinder may be paraffiue or any suitable expansive substance adapted when heated to the desired degree to operate the piston 14.

In operation, the parts being in position, as heretofore described, when the cylinder 13 is subjected to an unusual degree of heat, as in case of a fire in its vicinity, the expansion of the substance 17 in the cylinder will cause an outward thrust of the piston 14 to engage the arm of the valve 10, and this will cause the valve to turn on its center and free both its arms from the lugs 11. When so released, the valve will be thrown off by the waterpressure and a full stream instantly ejected. A spraying device 18, consisting of a perforated disk, is secured at the top of the frame a short distance above the opening of the water-pipe, for causing the water to be distributed instead of being thrown off in a single stream.

The arrangement of the expansive substance of the piston and the packing in the cylinder in the manner shown and described will effectually prevent any leakage of the expansive substance from its chamber, even when subjected to a high degree of heat and consequent high expansion.

Having described my invention, what I claim is- 1. In combination, a fluid under pressure, a valve seating against the pressure and held by engaging devices at opposite sides, and a piston arranged to engage the valve and parflui l-pipe,a suitable frame,a valve having op tially rotate it to free it from its holding tleposite lateral projections engaging shoulders in the frame, and a coupling adapted to screw 2. In combination, a fluid-pipe, a frame, a into the frame and pipe and against the valve vices, substantially as set forth.

5 coupling connecting them, a valve seating on the coupling and provided with lateral projections and engaging shoulders on the frame, a piston for engaging one of said projections to unseat the valve, and a confined expansito ble substance for operating the piston, sulo stantially as set forth.

3. In an automatic fluid-releasing device, a

to firmly seat it, in combination with a piston and a confined expansible substance for operating it to partially rotate the valve and unseatit, substantially as set forth.

JOHN F. BYERS. Witnesses:

P. H. GUNCKEL, ll. M. SCHUMANN. 

